Low pressure gas vaporizer



Nov. 5, 1968 A. QUIRING 3,409,076

LOW PRESSURE GAS VAPORIZER Filed Sept 19, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIGS lII III INVENTOR. 44 W 40/18/06 Imam;

United States Patent LOW PRESSURE GAS VAPORIZER Alvin Quiring, Windom,Minn. 56101 Filed Sept. 19, 1966, Ser. No. 580,385 2 Claims. (Cl.165170) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention relates to lowpressure gas burning equipment and more particularly to a gas vaporizerwhich is arranged to receive low pressure fluid gases and expose thesame to heat for vaporization thereof and thereafter pass the vapor to aburning section. In the construction utilized the vaporizer is arrangedin overlying relationship to the burning section such that the vaporizedgas will be utilized to vaporize additional gas. The structure of theunit insures that a maximum amount of liquid low pressure gas would bevaporized before being delivered from .the vaporizer by directing atleast portions thereof downwardly against heated surfaces of thevaporizer. The vaporizer unit itself includes an inlet having adownwardly directed outlet on the inlet section with a vaporized gasoutlet arranged to generally opposed relationship to said inlet toinsure complete vaporization of the liquid gas admitted thereto.

In many farm installations it is common to provide a grain dryer for thedrying of various grains and the like and the standard installation ofsuch a dryer includes a source of low pressure gas, a gas burner and fandevice for generating heat and directing the same to the graincontainers and the grain container itself. In the past it has been astandard procedure in such setups to utilize systems for atomizing theliquid gas such that the burner will actually consume a vaporized gas.In order to produce this vaporized gas it is well known that a certainamount of vapor under pressure exists within the bulk tank storagemechanism and this vapor is tapped and directed to the burner unit andfed therein to act as an initial heating device. At this same timeliquid gas is taken from the bulk storage tank and fed into a vaporizerwhich is heated by the burner system which burner system is nowoperating on the vapor from the tank and after vaporization of thisliquid has started to the point where suflicient vapor is produced theunit is switched either manually or automatically to shut off theoriginal starting vapor tap and to continue operation by utilizing thenow vaporized liquid supply. To date this system including the presentlyavailable vaporizing units has proved to be unsatisfactory and thedevice provided herein by applicant has been designed and constructedwith the various problems heretofore encountered always being kept inthe forefront.

With the unit provided herein there are several advantages distinct overthe prior art and these include the fact that the liquid gas isvaporized to its fullest extent which will therefore result in a lowcost system in that none of the liquid is free to pass through the unitin unvaporized condition. Another advantage of applicants unit is theimmediate vaporization of the liquid gas due to particular location andconstruction of the vaporizer which construction also includes a fanspray effect for initially introducing the liquid gas into and ontoheated surfaces such that immediate vaporization takes place.

It is therefore an object of applicants invention to provide a new andunique low pressure gas vaporizer unit which will insure maximum liquidgas vaporization.

It is a further object of applicants invention to provide a low pressuregas vaporizer or the like which due to the 3,409,076 Patented Nov. 5,1968 particular location of the unit with respect to other portions ofthe grain dryer will provide immediate vaporization for the liquid gasflowing therethrough and which unit will not be affected by weatherconditions.

It is a further object of applicants invention to provide a gasvaporizer for a low pressure gas system or the like and particularly forvaporizing liquid gase's before their utilization in grain blowers whichprovides a fan spray effect for disbursing the liquid gas enteringtherein over a heated surface to particularly insure rapid and immediatevaporization thereof.

It is a further object of applicants invention to provide a low pressuregas vaporizer for use with either central or rim fired burners whichwill make the most efficient and effective use of the available heatedarea produced by the burner.

It is a further object of applicants invention to provide a low pressuregas vaporizer for use with rim fired burners and the like which willprovid a particularly high area of vaporization due to a particulararrangement of baffling within the vaporizer.

These and other objects and advantages of my invention will more fullyappear from the following description made in connection with theaccompanying drawings, wherein like reference characters refer to thesame or similar parts throughout the several views, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a view illustrating a typical installation of a grain dryershowing the bulk gas tank storage, the heater and the grain bin;

FIG. 2 is a detail of the heater section of the dryer installationillustrating a typical unit and having portions thereof broken away toillustrate the internal heating sections thereof;

FIG. 3 is a horizontal section taken substantially along line 3-3 ofFIG. 2 illustrating the vaporizer embodying the concepts of applicantsinvention;

FIG. 4 is a vertical section taken substantially along line 4-4 of FIG.3;

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 2 illustrating a modified form ofapplicants invention particularly adapted to rim fired burners;

FIG. 6 is a horizontal section taken substantially along line 6-6 ofFIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 6 with the top of the vaporizerremoved; and

FIG. 8 is a vertical section taken substantially along line 8-8 of FIG.7.

In accordance with the accompanying drawings a typical installation inwhich the applicants vaporizer device would be installed includes a bulkstorage tank 10 for containing a volume of low pressure gas, a dryerunit designated 11 designed to receive gas from the tank 10 throughconduit 12 and a bin 13 for containing grains or the like. A heated airconduit connector 14 is provided between the heater 11 and the grainstorage bin 13. As illustrated in the FIG. 1 a liquid outlet member 15is provided on tank 10 and likewise a vapor conduit 16 is designed toreceive vapor from tank 10 and provided thereon. These two outlets areprovided with conduits connected through a Y-type connector 17 such thatboth liquid and vapor will pass through the conduit 12 to the heater 11.

Heater 11 is more specifically illustrated in FIG. 2 which illustrates along, substantially cylindrical heater portion 18 having an air intakeend 19 for the intake of cool air and a hot air discharge end generallydesignated 20. As the air passes through cylinder 1'8 it is exposed to asource of heat generally designated 21 and it is the supply for thisheat source 21 with which the applicants device is particularly related.In a device such as this a fan system is provided to positively forcethe air thr ugh the cylindrical heatingsection 18.

In the form illustrated in FIG. 2 a center fire burner 22 is provided.This is a single flame type unit and the applicants vaporizer discussedat this time is particularly related to use. with this single fiame typesystem. As illustrated, conduit 12 extends inwardly into the heatingchamber 18 to connect with and feed the vaporizer generally designated25 which vaporizer is in spaced overlying relationship with respect tothe position of burner member 22 such that heat from the burner 22 willheat not only the air passing through the unit but also will heat thevaporizer 25. A conduit 12a extends from the vaporizer 25 to the burner22 and may pass through regulator devices or the like to positivelycontrol the pressure at. which the vapor will be fed to the burnersection. v

Generally in the use of this or various other Vaporizers the. principleis to heat the vaporizer such that liquid may be delivered thereto andvaporize therein to pass from the vaporizer as a vapor and thereafter bedelivered to the burner for final utilization. Although various of theinstallations as previously described have individual lines extendingfrom the bulk tank for both the liquid and vapor such that the unit mayinitially operate upon vapor and after heating the liquid to avaporization state a transfer or switchover may occur such that now thevaporized liquid is burned applicants device per-mitsthe utilization ofvapor from the bulk tank to be fed directly through the vaporizer unitand therefore only conduit 12 is illustrated to feed both the liquid andvapor to the burner 22.

The particular vaporizer provided herein by applicant is more positivelyillustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4 wherein the first delivery conduit 12 isarranged for connection to the vaporizer 25 and the likewise outletconduit for vapor 12a is illustrated as being directly connected to thevaporizer 25 but naturally for installation purposes attachment memberssuch as nut elements 27 will be utilized. As illustrated the vaporizer25 includes a housing member having a bottom 30, a top 31 and generallyarcuate side elements 32 such that a substantially short cylindricalmember closed at both ends is provided. Inlet conduit 12 is fastened tothe side element 32 of vaporizer 25 and extends therein to anapproximate central location thereof. A downwardly extending tubularsection 33 communicates with the inlet portion 12 and is sealed againstthe bottom of the tank housing 30 such that this inlet portion iscompletely air tight. A slot 34 is formed angularly downwardly in theupstanding central section 33 of inlet pipe and this slot 34 is formedin such a manner to effect a downwardly directed spray for the incomingliquid. In this manner as the bottom of the vaporizer 25 is directlyover the flame of burner 22 and is substantially hotter than theremainder of the housing member 25, directed liquid spray hitting uponheated surface 30 is immediately atomized and vaporized. vaporizationand atomization of the liquid gas received within vaporizer 25 continueswith striking of the various gas particles against the other heatedsurfaces of the unit.

Outlet conduit 12a extends into the interior of the vaporizer 25 and inthe form shown extends to abut with the downwardly directed verticalsection 33. This form is obviously for convenience 'and this outlet tube12a could stop at any portion after entering vaporizer 25. It should benoted however that the vaporizer outlet 12a is designed to be oppositelyarranged with respect to the slot 34 in the upstanding vertical pipe. Aninlet passage 36 is provided in conduit 12a to receive the vaporized gastherein and permit passage therethrough out of the vaporizer 25. In thisform it should be noted that the vaporizer inlet 36 is spaced upwardlywith respect to the initial direction of the inlet spray into thevaporizer such that before exit of the vapor a maximum percentage ofvaporization will occur. This of course is the most ideal situa- "tioninorder to obtaiii 'tl ie b e's t po'ssibleutiliz'ation of the liquidgaswithin the bulk tank. 10., V

In the initial starting situation it has been stated that normally oneconduit supplies the vaporizer and burner from the bulk tank 10. In thissituation it is then necessary that vapor must likewise flow through thevaporizer upon starting the unit and it should be obvious that the fiowof thevapor will not be impeded by the general configurationandstructure employed inthe vaporizer 25 but rather will be allowed to flowdirectly through slot 34 and out of the outlet aperture 3 6.

As stated this particularly completely round cylindrical member is bestadapted for use with a center fire burner structure. With the burnerutilized in what is known as rim fire concept an essentiallydifferentform of vaporizer is employed and this u nit isparticularly'illustrated in FIGS. 5-8 wherein certain similar numbersare employed to represent like or similar parts previously discussed inthe initial form and wherein different numbers are utilized to explainthe differences between the models. 7 g

In utilizing a rim type burner it should be understood that what ismeant is a continuous arcuate toroidal section best illustrated in FIG.6, such burner being designated .40. This burner is provided with aplurality of openings 41 entirely around its upper surface such thatflames may be provided entirely therearound as the gas is permitted toflow therethrough and out of the burning apertures 41. g I

In the form illustrated the rim fire vaporizer 45 consists of agenerally arcuate section designed to cover only a portion of the entirefire area. This arcuate section is designed to cover a substantial areaof the entire rim fire burner such that a sufficient volume of fluidflowing therethrough will be properly vaporized therein when exposed toheat over a predetermined flow length. In the form shown the unit againis provided with inlet and outlet ends 12-12a and consists of a bottomplate member 46, .an upper plate member 47 and generally arcuate sideelements. 48-49 to again provide a confined closed housing confining acavity 50 therein. Mounted within cavity 50 is a bafi'le member 51generally arranged in cycloidal configuration such that as the gasenters through conduit 12 it will be directed along a circuitous routebefore passing from the unit 45 as vapor. In the particular form shownthe bafile member 51 comprises a blocking structure resting upon thebottom surface 46 of the unit 45 and extending substantially from sideto side of the unit 48 to affect. a particularly complicated route forthe gas to follow as it is vaporized therein. It should be notedthat.the baffle condition provides a large heat area for the gas passingtherethrough and therefore provides proper vaporization of the gas. I

Again with this specific structure it should be obvious that the inlet12 could be extended directly into the inlet cavity 50 of the rim firedtype atomizer 45 and a notch could be provided on the lower. edgethereof such that the only way liquid gas could enter the unit would beto be sprayed directly against the bottom surface 46 thereof. This againwould employ the same fan spray affect as discussed in the first form ofthe invention and would positively insure initial contact of theentering gas with a heated surface. This slight modification isillustrated at 52 in the inlet conduit 12.

It should be obvious that applicant has provided a new and unique andparticularly simple vaporizing structure which will positively insureproper vaporization of liquid low pressure gases to a vapor state.Applicants particular unit employing a unique fan spray effect toinitially direct the liquid delivered thereto onto a particularly hot,heated surface and thereafter moving the vaporized fluid to a remotedischarge point spaced at a proper remote location with respect to theinlet.

It likewise should be obvious that the baffle construc- 5 6 tion for therim fired type model insures positive and (d) a burner arranged belowsaid housing directed to prolonged vaporizing contact of the liquid witha heated heat at least a portion of said lower surface; and surface tothereby afford proper vaporization of liquid (e) an outlet means havinga portion arranged adgas received therein. jacent said upper housingsurface and a further por- It will of course be understood that variouschanges 5 tion arranged and constructed to receive vaporized may be madein the form, details, arrangements and gas from said chamber and directthe same from proportion of parts without departing from the scope ofsaid housing to said burner. my invention, which generally statedconsists in the mat- 2. The structure set forth in claim 1 wherein saidoutter set forth in the appended claims. let means is arranged ingenerally opposed relationship to I claim: 10 said slot. 1. A vaporizerof low pressure gases including: (a) a housing defining a generallycylindrical cham- References Cited her having a lower surface, an uppersurface and UNITED STATES PATENTS i i f fi l t d t 655,757 8/1900Chambost 15s 53 m 1H6 means alvlng a POI Ion lrec e 1n 0 15 672 2 4/1901Raymond 5 sald chamber along said upper surface and a fur- 690 07112/1901 Lewis 158 63 ther portion directed downwardly toward said lower861444 7/1907 Edwards j LII: 158 63 surface generally centrally of saidchamber; 1,523:474 1/1925 Deems- (c) a slot arranged in the downwardlyextending por- 1,540,633 6/1925 Kinsolving 158 63 tion of said inlet topermit gas to flow therethrough 2 and direct the gas against the lowersurface of said housing; JAMES W. WESTHAVER, Primary Examiner.

1,690,119 11/1928 Kelley.

